Stage IV Bedsores

Stage IV Bedsores

Stage IV bedsores are very severe wounds that are recognized by the medical community as a medical error that should not occur. When a stage IV bed sore develops, it can quickly become a life-threatening condition. The development of a stage IV bed sore is usually a clear sign of nursing home neglect. Without aggressive and continuous care and treatment a stage IV bed sore will deteriorate into a gaping wound that tunnels down to the underlying bone. Stage IV bed sores often become infected and commonly contribute to the death.

Understanding Stage IV Bedsores

A stage IV bed sore is the final stage of a pressure wounds development. At this stage the bed sore shows large-scale loss of tissue. It appears as a large hole with considerable depth. The necrosis (rotting of tissue) has expanded and the bed sore may now expose muscle, bone or tendons. The bottom of the bed sore likely contains dead tissue that’s yellowish or dark in color. The muscle and tissue damage often expands beyond the primary wound below layers of healthy skin.

A Nursing Home’s Duty in Dealing with Stage IV Bedsores

Upon discovery of a stage IV bedsore, a Philadelphia / Pennsylvania or New Jersey nursing home must take immediate action if there is any chance in healing the ulcer. The wound has now reached a stage that makes healing of the wound is extremely difficult. Accordingly, all attempts must be made by physicians and the nursing home staff to prevent further deterioration of the wound. These actions include the following:

Surgical debridements

Regular wound dressing changes

Proper hygienic care

Turning and repositioning residents at least every 2 hours

Using pressure off-loading devices such as foam padding, special bedding and cushions

Proper nutrition and hydration

Application of anti-infection creams as directed by a medical professional

Philadelphia / PA and NJ nursing homes must also review the resident’s plan of care and determine if it needs to be be changed or updated in anyway. The nursing home must make certain that all treatment interventions on the care plan are be provided both properly and consistently. If these actions are not properly executed, the Philadelphia / PA or NJ nursing home can be held liable for the stage IV bed sore.

You Need An Experienced NJ & PA Stage IV Bedsore Attorney

If your loved one has developed a stage IV bed sore, you need to immediately contact a bed sore attorney. Brian P. Murphy, Esq. has been filing lawsuits against Philadelphia / Pennsylvania and New Jersey nursing homes years. Mr. Murphy is fully familiar with the nursing home neglect that leads to the development of stage IV bed sores. Mr. Murphy also understands the legal duties of nursing homes have when it comes to care and treatment of stage IV bed sores. If a stage IV bed sore occurs, Mr. Murphy knows exactly where to to look and with whom to speak to determine if the nursing home neglect has occurred. Below are some examples of duties Philadelphia / PA and NJ nursing homes have to their nursing home residents in preventing stage IV bed sores.

Nursing home staff must, upon a resident’s admission to the nursing home, and periodically throughout a resident’s stay assess residents for their likelihood to develop bed sores. If a nursing home does not initially and periodically assess a residents propensity to develop bed sores and a stage IV bed sore develops, the nursing home is liable for the stage IV wound.

The nursing home staff must create a plan of care that is meant to prevent bed sores. If the nursing home staff does not develop a bed sore care plan and a stage IV bed sore develops, the Philadelphia / Pennsylvania or New Jersey nursing home is liable for the stage IV bed sore.

When a bed sore care intervention is created by a physician or the supervising nursing staff and the intervention is not properly and consistently provided, the nursing home can be held liable.

Read testimonials from some of Mr. Murphy’s former clients. Mr. Murphy practices nursing home abuse / neglect and bed sore cases in Philadelphia and throughout all counties in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

* Nothing on this website is to be construed as attorney advice or otherwise creating an attorney-client relationship.

About

The Nursing Home Attorneys.com is a website owned by Brian P. Murphy, Esquire, a PA- and NJ-licensed personal injury attorney.
Located in Bucks County, PA, Mr. Murphy serves all of Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia, Mercer County, and all of New Jersey.
Brian Murphy exclusively handles wrongful death, nursing home abuse, and neglect litigation.

PA Areas Served

In Pennsylvania, nursing home attorney Brian P. Murphy practices throughout the state, especially the following counties: Philadelphia, Montgomery, and Bucks County.
Mr. Murphy covers all of Bucks County, especially the following areas: Doylestown, New Hope, Newtown, Quakertown, and Langhorne.

NJ Areas Served

In New Jersey, nursing home abuse attorney Brian Murphy handles abuse and neglect cases throughout the state.
This includes but is not limited to, Newark, Trenton, Princeton, Camden, Paterson, Bergen County, Essex County, Middlesex County, Mercer County, and Camden County.